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Scooter Libby's memory-loss expert

Scooter Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, has hired a renowned memory-loss expert to assist him with his legal defense. Harvard psychology professor Daniel L. Schacter tells NBC News he has been retained by Libby as a consultant. An official familiar with the Libby defense team confirms the news.

Schacter, who has been at Harvard since 1991 and who has a 29-page resume, is the author of "The Seven Sins of Memory" and "Searching for Memory: The Brain, the Mind and the Past." His books offer explanations for the "vulnerability of memory." Schacter writes that if we are distracted as an event unfolds, "we may later have great difficulty remembering the details of what happened." Time, of course, often weakens our memory. And, he writes, it is easy to "unwittingly create mistaken -- though strongly held -- beliefs about the past."

Libby's lawyers hinted in court filings last week that memory loss will be "central themes" of Libby's defense. Libby's lawyers write: "...any misstatements he made during his FBI interviews or grand jury testimony were not intentional, but rather the result of confusion, mistake or faulty memory."

Libby's lawyers say that, during Libby's hectic days handling sensitive national-security matters, "it is understandable that he may have forgotten or misremembered relatively less significant events. Such relatively less important events include alleged snippets of conversations about Valerie Plame Wilson's employment status."

Libby has been charged with lying to investigators about his role in the disclosure of Valerie Wilson's role as a CIA operative. His trial is scheduled to begin in January 2007.

COMMENTS

Three things:
Libby has lied before and will lie again.
People do forget.
I have not forgotten Libby has lied.

Pepe Pepe, Guadalajara, Mexico (Sent Aug 3, 2006 2:33:59 AM)

I watched an awesome report on Friday, April 14, 2006 about prison gangs and reports on prison gangs....how would I find that special report on-line that way my mom can view it? My little brother is in prison and we enjoy the reports on them.
Thank you,
Christy

Christy, Denton, Texas (Sent Apr 15, 2006 5:38:54 PM)

Walter, what do you mean, "in the sense of the law"? Because the CIA initiated this aspect> If no law was broken, even that "in the sense of the law", the CIA would not have initiated this process at all! So, again, what does it mean that "in the sense of the law" Plame was not in for she seemed to be "in" with respect to the CIA initiating a legal process at all. What is it all about, Walter?

Dave Van Grun (Sent Mar 4, 2006 11:05:21 PM)

Plame was not outed because she was not, in the sense of the law, in. Fitz had an obligation at the start of the investigation into the alleged outing to verify there was a crime. Had he found a crime he would have mentioned in in his indictment. To continue the investigation after such a finding was at least unethical and very likely criminal.

Walter E. Wallis, Palo Alto, CA (Sent Mar 2, 2006 10:16:49 PM)

All Libbys attempts at defense were used during the Iran-Contra investigation.I don't remember, the special prosecutors appointment is illegal and demands for classified info he knows will not be released by this administration are all Deja Vu all over again.A nightmare.His boss tricky Dick Cheney was a congressman and avid Reagan supporter at the time.I imagine his defense strategy is taken directly from the expierience of those criminals.

David Tau (Sent Mar 1, 2006 5:37:11 PM)

What would you do if you knew that the very people you work for no longer want to provide any help in your behalf. This is what Libby has to look forward to. Cheney does not want Libby to OUT him like Libby outed PLame. If Libby knew what was good for him, it is to accept guilt as quickly as possible in order to keep his costs down, his iou's in the low rent zone, and simply get on with his prison term. The Bush administration is not going to help this guy beyond lip service. Yes, the republicans can collect truck loads of money but they don't kiss and tell. Of course, everybody from Abramoff, Libby, as well as "Browny" is telling all they can. But a sympathetic ear, this White House cannot afford to have, money, yes, but no sympathy!

Dave Van Grun (Sent Mar 1, 2006 4:40:37 PM)

Does this mean that any criminal can use the, Oh I forgot defense. I guess criminals that have the backing of the Bush administration can use any stupid, upsurd defense. I hope Fitzgerald can burry the out of gas Scooter Libby.

Jennifer
Miami beach, fl

Jenn (Sent Mar 1, 2006 3:13:39 PM)

Perhaps the prosecutor can hire Elisabeth Loftus (false memory expert) and argue that Libby developed a false memory of forgetting about what he really knows.

jim beam (Sent Mar 1, 2006 11:58:20 AM)

I find it ridiculous that a man in his (previous)position trusted with the most secret and secure information regarding our Federal Government would resort to such a lame tactic as hiring a "memory expert" to defend the lying and scheming he and his bosses (President and Vice President) engaged in.

What does this say about the integrity and competence of his bosses? Should the American people now have more confidence in this Administration knowing that a man of this caliber, with a very defective memory and questionable ethics, is being placed in a position of such trust and power?

Alice Montgomery, Boynton Beach, FL (Sent Mar 1, 2006 9:55:54 AM)

Years ago, my political science teacher said;"If you are ever prosecuted for anything, your best defense is to say you don't remember. It will drive the prosecutor crazy. No one can prove what you remember." This defense strategy works in all kinds of situations.

Leigh Forde Seattle, Wa. (Sent Mar 1, 2006 4:22:30 AM)

How CON-venient! How many republicans have the memory of a fig? ALL of them?

Nixon was a saint compared to these thieves.

bjorn yulaevsen, minneapolis mn (Sent Feb 28, 2006 8:47:44 PM)

How very Reagonesque !! "To the best of my recollection, I don`t remember." Ronnie, IranContra hearings.

Bernie Klein (Sent Feb 28, 2006 7:17:43 PM)

If his memory's really that bad it's a good thing his security clearance was taken away. Maybe he forgot what "covert" means.

Sue (Sent Feb 28, 2006 5:52:04 PM)

What a joke. I'd be willing to be this man does not forget anything especially when it comes to opposing his boss the VP or the President. Now though, it does not really matter since the SP Fitzgerald has notes and emails to back his case against Libby. What I don't understand is how the Vice-President is getting a pass from the mainstream media on outting a CIA verified covert agent and how bad it hurt the intel on her work spying on Iran. Perhaps you staff should investigate that.

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